derf

I only replace the driven gear attached to the sender. They're not matched. Getting to the other one is always a bit involved.

Basic equation is straightforward: Tire revs per mile × axle ratio × 13 ÷ 1000 = teeth. Drop the fractional part. I looked up the tire size and got 832 revs per mile. I'm assuming a 4 cylinder runs 4.10 axle gears. That gives me 832 × 4.1 × 13 ÷ 1000 = 44.3456 Drop the fraction and you get 44 teeth. By dropping the fraction, the speedo will stay just a hair above actual speed. If you round, you can be running faster than the speedometer reads. But only by a hair. For 215/75R15 it's 751 revs per mile. That's 40.0283, or 40 teeth 235/75R15 is 721 revs per mile and 38.4293, or 38 teeth. A 31x10.5/15 tire is around 685 revs per mile giving you 36.5105, or 36 teeth. I believe that the Km/H speedometers are calibrated the same. They just have a different number scale painted on them. But I would double check.

Just had to throw this one in here...

This forum is pretty good compared to several others. I wasn't here in the early days to know if it was bad back then. But I've been on forums since the late 90s. A lot of it has to do with the regular forum members and their tolerance for shenanigans. Also, the members here have solid technical knowledge and the advice here is pretty solid most of the time. I'm active on some other forums and they're a lot more "fun" but the technical advice isn't always reliable.

I've ruined a couple of rear main seals installing them while swapping them out. It's easy to make a mistake, even when you've done a few. If you can loosen all the main caps so you can wiggle the crank away from the upper half, it's a little easier. But then you have a lot more bolts to retorque.

Yeah, given a once in 200K maintenance on the adapter O-rings, I'll keep the adapter. I'd throw that in with a rear main seal, oil pan gasket, and valve cover gasket on a Saturday.

I should have said that applies when doing a filter change. Being up on the block, oil will run down the side as soon as you start to pull the filter.

Depending on what's in the way and the size of the filter, you may not have room for it on the side of the block. It may hit what is in the engine bay. The filters aren't exactly short. And, with it on the side of the block, you get oil dripping down the side that you have to clean up. Of course, you have to deal with whatever is under the filter getting dripped on anyway (usually the axle).

There are a couple different configurations based on year. I think this kit has enough to cover the variations with the extras left over.

I already have 7 extra...

Yeah, that AMC 20 axle would be great but I already have a 44 myself.

I have driven my lifted 4 door JL on 37s across Nebraska in the winter with a steady north wind. That's less than fun.

So stock 215/75R15 with 3.08s runs just under 2300 RPM at 75. 3.55s with 31s will put you around 2400. 3.73s would be around 2500. 4.10s gets you just under 2800. I'm planning my long bed build with 31s and an AX15 and I'll be doing 3.55s. It will be an all around driver that I can do road trips in. For my chief with the AX15 and 35s, I'll have 4.56, which will run 2700 at 75 but it's going to be a rock crawler that doesn't see much highway time.

I'm assuming the 88 with the 31s has the automatic. If so, 4.10s would put you around 2,600 RPM at 75 on the freeway. That's about 100 more than the stock 3.55s with 215/75R15. That's about where I'd want to be.

They have more material in the ring gear so they add a small amount of weight. But they work fine when installed. Depending on the ratio, it may be hard to find thick cut gears. It is worth looking at them if you can find them.

Nothing special about that Dana 44. It's the same center section as any 70s/80s Dana 44 in any Dodge, Ford, or GM. Tons of parts available to do the regear. You can verify the ratio by spinning the pinion with both tires off the ground. Count how many times the pinion spins for one rotation of the wheels. A little more than 3 is 3.08. 3 and a half is 3.54s, 3 and 3/4 is 3.73, a little more than 4 is 4.09. Stock should be 3.08. But there's no telling what may have been done to the axle since it left the factory. Or even if that specific axle came with the truck.

Sounds like a good plan. You will need the ring and pinion, as well as a master install kit. I would replace the axle seals because you have to fully disassemble the axle to get to them and it will be apart while doing the gears. Same with ball joints. The disassembly labor is being done already. No reason not to do that too. Same with the axle shaft u-joints and unit bearings. If you have the smaller axle shaf u-joints, it's easy to upgrade while you have it apart.

East coast gear supply is my go to for parts. Great customer service. I will say that if you don't have the tools to do the installation right, it's a good idea to have a shop install the gears. Most people can do it but it's meticulous work that requires specialty tools and a lot of patience. If you're only doing one axle, it's cheaper to have a shop do it than to buy the tools. Any shop that does the install will have a good source for parts.

I could use a couple too.